Harness.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

R. T. CUMMINGS.

HARNESS.

APPLIOA'IION FILED DEC. a. 1906.

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ROBERT THOMAS CUMMINGS, OF MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OHARLESW. ZWEIGART, OF MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.' 31,-1907.

Application filed December 3. 1906. Serial No. 346,103-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT THOMAS CUMMINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maysville, in the county of Mason and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Harness; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to harness, and more particularly to an improvement in the over-check and crupper-straps thereof.

The object of the invention is to relieve the bit of unnecessary strain, whereby rubbing of the horses mouth will be obviated, and further, to permit the crupper-strap to yield, thereby to prevent the crupper from chafing, which frequently occurs in warm weather.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts of a harness, as is hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts,-Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, exhibiting the improvements of the present invention applied to the over-cheek and crupper-strap of a harness; and Fig. 2 is a detail view in longitudinal section of one of the attachments.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the over-check carrying the usual bit 2; 3 the saddle, and 4 the crupper-strap carrying the crupper 5. These parts, with the exception of the attachments applied thereto, may be of the usual or any preferred construction, and, therefore, need. no further description.

Combined with the overcheck and with the crupper-strap is the draft or strain reliever, which constitutes the present invention, and, as each is a counterpart of the other, a description of one will suflice for both. The draft reliever comprises two coiled l-g springsgfi, with which are suitably connected at each end loops 7 and 8, to which the terminals of the over-check or a crupper-strap are suitably secured, it being understood that these straps are in two parts for this purpose.

The draft relieving springs are housed within a sheath or casing 9, made of leather, thus to prevent them from contacting with the skin of the animal, one end of the sheath being formed as a looped keeper 10, provided with an orifice 11, through which one of the strap members projects. The other end of the sheath is secured to the loop 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The other loop 8 of the draft reliever is adapted to work in the keeper 10 when strain is applied either to the crupper-strap or the over-check, and thereby shields the animals skin at this point from contact with the reliever.

The sheath may be secured around the springs 6 in any preferred manner by being riveted or stitched as may be found most effective. Generally, in heavy harness the edges of the sheath will be riveted together, while in a light grade of harness the edges will be stitched together.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, that although the improvements herein defined are simple in character, they will be thoroughly effective for the purpose designed and may be readily applied to a harness without requiring any extended changes in its construction.

As a generic term cannot be found to designate the over-check and crupper-strap, the term strap is employed in the claim to include either or both of the parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is,"-

A harness attachment comprising a flat flexible sheath. consisting of a single length of pliable material folded upon itself to form a looped keeper at its folded end, said folded end being provided with an aperture and the edges of the sheath being secured together throughout the major portion of their length to provide a housing, a pair of coiled springs;w varranged Within the casing In testimony whereof I have hereunto set and terminal y connected together by means my hand in presence of two subscribing Witof end loops, and a two-part strap having its nesses.

member's terminally engaged with said loops, ROBERT THOMAS CUIVLMINGS. 5 one member of the strap being projected Witnesses:

through the aperture in the folded end of the O. D. NEWELL,

sheath. 0. F. REED. 

